Page 61 of Wrecked

“Thanks,” I say. I risk a glance at Cooper once more, hoping to at least catch his eye, but he’s studying his cards like they hold the secret to the origin of the universe.

I try not to show how dejected I feel. I remind myself this is all part of thecompromise. Trying not to let it get to me, I head for the kitchen, hoping to distract myself with pizza and pop.

When I return from the kitchen with a slice of pizza, I spot Beth seated on the sofa. The poker game is in full swing, with lots of trash talk swirling around us.

I join her on the sofa. “Hey, Princess. You hungry? I’ll go get you something.”

“No, thanks,” she says. “I’m not hungry. You don’t have to hang out here if you don’t want to. Shane will take me home. Feel free to take off.”

Somehow Lia wormed herself into the poker game, and she’s raking in a big pile of coins. Cooper’s looking everywhere but at me. “Nah, I’m good. I’ll stay. I’d be crazy to turn down free food, right?”

The truth is, as long as Cooper’s here, I don’t want to leave. The alternative is to return to my apartment alone, realizing that appearances are what matter most to him.

Not me.

It’s nearly midnight now, and Beth is obviously tired. Shane notices and checks his watch.

When there’s a pause in the game, Cooper heads to the kitchen to get something to drink. Now’s my chance to have a moment alone with him. “I’m parched,” I say to Beth as I head to the kitchen.

I find Cooper leaning against the kitchen counter, watching the poker table from across the room. He’s got a beer in his hand. I grab a beer and stand beside him. Even though he doesn’t acknowledge me, he does take a step closer to me, his arm almost brushing mine.

When Shane announces that he and Beth are heading home, Cooper says he’ll join them. He offers to order a rideshare car and goes outside to wait for it.

While everyone says their goodbyes, I slip out the door and go looking for Cooper. I find him standing on the sidewalk.

“You couldn’t even say hello to me in there?” I ask him. I’m trying not to feel resentment, but it’s hard. “We are co-workers, you know. Everyoneknowsweknoweach other. You don’t have to act like we’re complete strangers.”

Cooper spares me a glance. “You know the terms of our agreement.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to be such an asshole about it.”

“Sam, please don’t make this harder than it has to be. I ordered two cars. One for us, and one for you.”

Fuck.We can’t even ride back to the apartment building together. I’m about to lay into him and explain just how hard this situation is for me when I hear Beth’s voice behind us.

“Hey, guys,” she says.

She and Shane join us on the sidewalk, and that puts an immediate end to our conversation, such as it was.

Two dark sedans pull up in front of the apartment building.

“Hey, Princess,” I say, offering her a fist bump. “I’ll see you bright and early on Monday, okay?”

As I get into one of the waiting cars, I hear Beth say to Cooper, “I hope we didn’t interrupt anything.”

“No, not at all,” Cooper responds easily. “We were just killing time.”

That’s all I hear of their conversation before I close my door, and my car pulls away.

Is that all I am to him? Just a way to kill time?

* * *

As soon as I get home, I get ready for bed and crash. I lie in the dark, staring at the ceiling, and feel sorry for myself.

I know I agreed to this. I have no one to blame for my situation but myself. Cooper’s always been upfront about what he wants and what he needs, and that includes his precious privacy.

I just don’t understand.